Tbansversely-split demountable rim



H. S. BRYANT.

TRANSVERSELY SPLIT DEMOUNTABLE RIM.

APPLICATION FILED IAN.6, I9I5.

1,353,988, PaIenIedsepI. 28,1920.

y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD S. BRYANT, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE STANDARD PARTS COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION 0F OHIO.

TRANSVERSELY-SPLIT DEMOUNTABLE RIM.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept. 28, 1920;

Application filed January 6, 1915. Serial No. 770.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, RICHARD S. BRYANT, a citizen of the United States. and a resident of Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga, and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Transversely-Split Demountable Rims, of which the following is a specification, the principle of the invention being herein explained and the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle, so as to distinguish it from other inventions.

The present improvements relate as indicated, to that class of vehicle rims known as transversely split demountable rims, which are finding an increasingly large field of use on automobiles. Said improvements have more particular regard to the provision of satisfactory means for locking together the split ends of the rim, one form of the invention providing, in combination with such locking means, one element of the driving connection which it is necessary to have between the demountable rim and the wheel body. The object of the invention is to provide a simple, and yet strong locking device. either with or without the combination of such driving element. and to the accomplishment of the foregoing and related objects said invention consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawings and the following description set forth in detail certain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one of various mechanical forms in. which-the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawings Figure 1 is a vertical central section of a wheel felly and telly-band with one form of the present improved rim shown as mounted in place thereon; Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of such construction of rim; Fig. 3 is a transverse section of a wheel felly with rim thereon, as indicated by the line 3-3 in Figs. 1 and 2, respectively; Fig. 4 is aperspective view of one element of the locking device forming a feature of such construction of rim; and Fig. 5 is a similar perspective view of another element of such device.

Referring to the form of construction illustrated in the drawings, it will be understood that the felly 1 and felly-band 2 are typical items of wheel construction, and

may, for the purpose of this description, be referred to as the wheel body, with the understanding that they may take on various' forms and still be equally suited for use with my improved rim 3. The latter, as previously stated, is of the transversely split type, and as illustrated, is provided with integral clencher side-flanges 4. At one point in its circumference, the rim is transversely split, the cut 5 preferably inclining to a radial line, as indicated in Fig. 1, the purpose of the cut being to permit the rim to be collapsed in order to remove the tire` shoe therefrom, or place one thereon.

When a tire is thus placed on the rim, it is, of course` desirable that the ends be securely held in alined condition, that is that separation of such ends be prevented, not only in. a circumferential direction, but in lateral and radial directions, as well, For this purpose I provide on the inner face of the rimadjacent one end thereof, an upstanding lug or projection preferably consisting of a small rectangular plate 15 Welded to the rim, although it may be riveted if preferred. On the other end of the rim. then, I provide a tongue or projection in the form of a larger plate 17,.which extends across the split when the ends are brought into juxtaposition, and is formed with a. -recess 19 adapted to fit over the aforesaid lug 15, as shown in the several figures. The rim being made of more or less resilient material and split, as indicated above, at one` point only in its circumference, such tongue will snap into place upon the rim-ends being brought into alinement.

lVhen this tongue is thus fitted over the lug, the parts are locked together by meansk of a latch 21 pivotally secured to the under face of the rim-end carrying the lug 15, said latch having a cam-face at one end which, in the position indicated in full lines in Fig. Q, adapted to bear against the forward end of the tongue 17. Such tongue-end and the cooperating end of the latch are complementarily beveled so as to prevent disengagement of the tongue from the lug as long as the latch remains in the position in question. It may, however, be readily turned into the position indicated in dotted outline and thereby release the tongue, whereupon the end of the rim carrying such tongue may be forced radially inwardly until it can slide' past the opposite end,"and' thus contract the rim as a whole. The latch is indented near its outer end to provide a lug 10 that is adapted to engage a corresponding indentation 11 on the inner face of the rim in the operative position of the latch, (see Fig. 1) and reta-in it in such poH sition. Said latch is furthermore provided with a notch 12 on one or both sides near such outer end, of a form and extent adapted to receive a screwdriver or like implement in order to facilitate the operation of the latch.

Preferably the lug or projection 15 is in the form of a plate provided with a notch 16 in its edge that is directed away from the split, this being most clearly shown in Fig. 5. The recess in the tongue 17 designed to engage such plate, moreover, is provided, not by an aperture, but by an offset portion 18, that forms in effect the recess 19, adapted thus to receive such plate. The forward end 20 of the tongue which is -re curved to engage on the other side of the plate, is formed to fit in the notch 16 in the latter, so that the tongue when in engagement with the plate, is not only held against relative longitudinal, e. circumferential, movement, but is also locked laterally in place. The pivotal latch 21, is provided to secure said tongue and thus the rim-ends against radial displacement.

rlhe olf-set portion 18 of the tongue 17, in this design of rim, is intended to serve a second function, viz., that of a driving con-,

nection between the rim and wheel body. To this end, the felly-band in theconstructional form of such wheel body illustrated, is provided at a suitable point 'in its periphery with a recess, or depression 22, adapted to receive such offset portion of the tongue, whereby the rim will obviously be held against circumferential movement relatively to the wheel body. ln applying the rim Lonto the wheel body or felly-band in the construction in hand, the part carrying the locking -device is first slipped onto the felly and such off-set portion 18 of the tongue dropped into place in such recess 22 in the felly-band, then the other part of the rim is swung into place on said band. The latter, in the case of the illustrated construction of rim, is provided on its inner side with an upstanding beveled flange 23 designed to receive and support the one side of the rim, while a plurality of wedge members 24; are adapted to be vinserted between thefelly-band and the outer' side of the rim, such wedge members being forced into place by means of bolts 25 transversely mounted in the felly, and provided with nutsl 2.6 cooperating with such members.

Other kmodes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the=one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein dSClOSd provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention :n

1. The combination with a transversely split, demountable wheel-rim; of an upstanding lug on the inner face of said rim near one end thereof; a tongue attached to the other end of said rim and adapted to eX- tend across the split therein, said tongue having an offset portion providing a recess adapted to engage said lug to prevent circumferential separation of such rimends; and a locking. member arranged-to swing -on a radial pivot into engagement with said tongue so as to prevent radial separation of such rim-ends.

2. The combination with a transversely split, demountable wheel-rim; of an upstanding lug on the inner face of said rim near one end thereof; a tongue attached to the other end of said rim and adapted toeX- ltend across the split therein, said tongue having an offset portion providing a recess adapted to engage said lug to prevent circumferential separation of such rim-ends.; and lprojections on such second rim-end adapted to laterally engage said tongue.

The combination with a transversely split, demountable wheeler-im; of an upstanding' lug on the inner face of said rim near one end thereof; a tongue attached to f the other end of said rim and adapted to eX- tend across the split therein, said tongue having an offset portion providing a recess adapted to engage said lug to prevent circumferential separation of such rim-ends; projections on such second rim-end adapted to laterally engage said tongue; and means on such second rim-end adapted to engage said tongue to prevent radial separation of the rim-ends.

d. The combination with a transversely split, demountable wheehrim; of an upstanding lug on the inner face of said rim nearl one end thereof; a tongue attached to the other end of said rim and adapted to extend across the split therein, said tongue having an offset portion providing a recess adapted to engage said lug to prevent circumferential separation of such rim-ends: projections on such second rim-end adapted tolaterally engage said tongue; and a member pivotally `attached to such second rimend near said lug and adapted tor engage said tongue to prevent radial separation of the rim-ends.

5. The combination with a transversely split, demountable wheel-rim; of a plate on the inner face of said rim near one end thereof provided with a notch on its .edge directed away from the split in said rim; and a tongue rigidly attached to the other end of said rim and adapted to extend across the split therein, said tongue having an offset portion providing a recess adapted to engage said lug and a forward portion adapted to iit in the notch in such lug.

6. The combination with a transversely split, demountable wheel-rim; of an upstanding lug on the inner face of said rim near one end thereof; a tongue rigidly attached to the other end of said rim and adapted to extend across the split in the latter, said tongue having an offset portion providing a recess adapted to engage said lug; and a member pivotally attached to said first rim-end near said lug and adapted to retain said tongue in engagement with the same.

7. The combination with a transversely split, demountable wheel-rim; of a plate on the inner face of said rim near one end of said rim provided with a notch on its edge directed away from the split in the latter; a tongue rigidly attached to the other end of said rim and adapted to extend across the split therein, said tongue having an oifset portion providing a recess adapted to engage said lug and a forward portion adapted to it in the notch in such lug, and a latch pivotally attached to said first rimend near said lug and adapted to retain said tongue in engagement with thesame.

8. The combination with a transversely split, demountable wheel-rim; of a plate on the inner face of said rim near one end of said rim provided with a notch on its edge directed away from the split in the latter; a tongue rigidly attached to the other end of said rim and adapted to extend across the split therein, said tongue having an oH- set portion providing a recess adapted to engage said lug and a forward portion xadapted to lit in the notch in said lug, and

a latch pivotally attached to said first rimend near said lug and adapted to retain said tongue in engagement with the same, said latch and tongue having their contacting edges complementarily beveled.

9. The combination with a transversely split, demountable wheel-rim; of a plate on the inner face of said rim near one end thereof; anda tongue rigidly attached to the other end of said rim and adapted to extend across the split therein, said tongue having an off-set portion providing a recess adapted to engage said plate in a circumferential direction and said tongue and plate being also provided with elements adapted to interlock in a transverse direction.

10. The combination with a transversely split, demountable wheel-rim; of a plate on the inner face of said rim near one end thereof provided with a notch in one transverse edge; and a tongue rigidly attached to the other end of said rim and adapted to extend across the split therein, said tongue having an off-set portion providing a recess adapted to bodily engage said lug and another portion adapted to interlock with such notch.

1l. In a vehicle wheel, the combination with the wheel body; of a transversely split, demountable rim therefor; an upstanding lug on the inner face of said rim near one end thereof; and a tongue attached to the other end of said rim and adapted to extend across the split therein, said tongue having an offset portion providing a recess adapted to engage said lug, and said Wheel body being formed to engage the circumferentially spaced edges of such offset portion.

l2. In a vehicle wheel, the combination with the wheel body; of a transversely split, demountable rim therefor; an upstanding lug on the inner face of said rim near one end thereof; and a tongue rigidly attached to the other end of said rim and adapted to extend across the split therein, said tongue having an oE-set portion providing a recess adapted to engage said lug, and said wheel body being formed to engage such off-set portion in a circumferential direction.

13. In a vehicle wheel, the combination with the Wheel body including a felly and felly-band; of a transversely split, demountable rim therefor; an upstanding lug on the inner face of said rim near one end thereof and a tongue rigidly attached to the other end of said rim and adapted to extend across the split therein, said tongue having an off-set portion providing a recess adapted to engage said lug, and said felly-band being formed with a recess adapted to engage such off-set portion in a circumferential direction.

Signed by me, this 2nd day of January, 1915.

D. T. DAvIEs, I-I. M. KATHE. 

